Burning Regulations

Burning Requirements

• Burn permits are required within the city and may be obtained Monday - Friday during the business hours of 8:00am - 4:30pm by calling 615-371-0170 and speaking with the Brentwood Fire Administrative Assistant or Chief Jeff Pender.
• Bonfires require a refundable deposit of $100 that will be returned upon safe completion. Required intervention by the fire department or reasonable complaints may require forfeiture of the deposit.
• The following requirements must be met for a permit to be issued.

Clearing of Land for Development Purposes:

• Land must be 20 acres or more.
• The burn site shall be no closer than 500 feet from any occupied building, roadway, walkway, or other locations as determined by the Fire Marshal.
• Burning shall not be permitted before 7:00 am or after dark.
• Materials to be burned must be natural vegetation native to the site. No materials may be brought from other sites to be burned.
• The use of an air curtain destructor is required. Factors such as pit size, etc., shall be in compliance with manufacturer’s specifications.

Property Clean-Up:

• Land must be 3 acres or more.
• Burn site shall be no closer than 300 feet from any adjacent lot or tract with a residential dwelling or occupied structure.
• Materials to be burned must be natural vegetation native to the site. No materials may be brought from other sites to be burned.
• The use of an air curtain destructor may be required by the Fire Marshal based on the size and location of the burn, and other relevant safety issues.

Universal Requirements:

• There shall be a qualified party assigned the sole duty of attending the fire from the time it is started until it is extinguished.
• Equipment (backhoe, bulldozer, tractor, etc.) capable of controlling the fire, along with a trained operator, is required if there is no water source with a hose to access all areas of the burn site.
• The issuance of a burn permit shall not relieve responsible persons from the obligation to comply with applicable State and Federal regulations.
• Burn permits may be temporarily suspended during periods of extremely dry weather, windy conditions, or when smoke becomes a nuisance, as determined by the Fire Chief.